Coming Home
by babygurl0506
Summary: NOW COMPLETE! "30 months. 130 weeks. 912 days. It'd been that long since he'd seen her face." Prentiss returns. Companion piece to my OS "Say Goodbye". Spoilers for 6x18 Lauren. Hotch/Prentiss H/P Read and Review. Rated for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is the follow up to my OS "Say Goodbye". I got a lot of really great feedback on that piece and was asked to do a sequel. It's going to be **MULTI-CHAPTER** so sign up for Alerts. ;) Hope you all like it. Beta'd by my favorite fellow nerd Patty. **Read and Review.**

**Disclaimer:** Own nothing.

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"If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don't, they never were." - Khalil Gibran

It wasn't odd for him to be in office late anymore. Not when he'd spent the better part of the past two and a half years searching out Doyle and what remained of his team and doing everything in his power to make sure they'd been taken care of. To say he'd been driven would be an understatement. He'd been downright vicious in his pursuit of Ian Doyle; almost bordering on obsessive. If he were to be honest, the whole team had been dedicated to doing everything in their power to capturing him; but he'd taken it personally. He'd lost Haley to Foyet and he wasn't about to let Emily suffer the same fate; this time, he had been willing to go above and beyond anything he could to end it.

He'd spent months, working with JJ and the state department on tracking down Doyle's son. He'd known that the boy would be the next crucial target. Garcia and Kevin had been influential in gathering intel and hacking every known system, running the boy's age progressed photo through every databank conceivable, leaving no stone unturned, no possible idea left untouched; if they thought of it, they tried it. Doyle would be using his countless resources and Hotch knew they'd have to be a step ahead of them. JJ had been the major case breaker though; the contacts she'd made in the State department had been the ones to help crack the case wide open and guide them to the location that Emily had moved him to.

The fact that they'd found Declan before Doyle was one of the biggest triumphs of the case. He'd grown up as just another plain kid in Cottonwood, Idaho; his memories of his father had been referred to as dream-like memories of another life. He remembered Emily though and that hadn't surprised Hotch. Emily was one of those women that you never forgot. When the severity of the case had been explained to young Declan and his 'mother', they understood what Declan's role in the take down would have to be. He'd have to be the bait.

He'd always pictured it ending in a tremendous blood bath, some violent graphic commentary on how Doyle had lived his life; but ultimately, his son had been his undoing. They'd been ready for Doyle when he arrived and they'd taken him down with minimal loss to their side. He'd been underprepared for the numbers they brought; for the vengeance he personally sought for Emily. Each team member backed the story that Hotch had needed to fire to protect Declan's life; and each team member knew he'd shot to vindicate their fallen team-mate.

He signed the final team statement and closed the file, dropping it on his stack of outgoing files and leaned back in his chair. He thought of her constantly; at night when he'd be home with Jack, in his hotel room while working a case, in his office when he'd look out at what had once been her desk. She was never far from his mind, and now, with all that had transpired, he wondered if she'd be coming back. If she would ever return to him as they'd discussed that night in Paris so long ago. The knock on his door shook him from his thoughts and he lifted his head to his guest, nodding at Dave with his eyebrows knit together.

"Aaron, the new agent's here."

He nodded to Dave with a sigh and cast a final look at Emily's old desk. Finding and keeping BAU team members had been difficult since she'd left. Trying to replicate the magic that the team once had, the lightening in a bottle that they'd captured at one time, was appearing to be more than impossible. 3 agents had come and gone over the past two and a half years. One after another lacked the discipline, the drive, the knowledge, the mysterious x-factor that had made the team click when they'd had JJ and Emily. He sighed and gathered his suit coat, pulling it on and heading out of the office with Dave, letting his feet lead him on instinct to the office of Erin Strauss.

He knocked once and waited for her to call her assent before opening the door and entering the room with Rossi. The door clicked shut behind the two men and they nodded, rocking on their heels as Erin stayed seated at her desk with the new agent seated across from her, her back facing them. Hotch observed the chestnut brown head and mentally rolled his eyes, another brunette. Another one of Strauss' imitations. Seaver still was trying to live down the comparisons to JJ, and now this poor girl would have to do the same with the memory of Emily.

"Agents Rossi and Hotchner, I've given this a lot of thought. The BAU requires a certain strength from their agents; an ability to rebound from the things they see and experience."

Hotch and Rossi nodded their agreement and shared a look of confusion before returning their attention Strauss as she continued her introduction. "That's why I personally sought out this agent. She's an experienced profiler, and has had her share of seeing the worst of humanity. I think you're both going to be pleased with her abilities." She turned her head to the woman in the chair and gave a slight incline of her head, "Agents, I believe you are already familiar with SSA Emily Prentiss."

30 months. 130 weeks. 912 days. It'd been that long since he'd seen her face; but as she rose from the chair and turned to face the two men in the room, he felt as if not a day had gone by. His mouth felt like cotton as he stared at her for what seemed like minutes, but had only been a few short moments. He ran his eyes over her long, lean figure and couldn't help the smile that blossomed on his face. She smiled back and took a tentative step forward towards the men before being engulfed in Rossi's arms, hugging him back tight and laughing softly as he spoke to her.

He released her and she turned to Hotch, her breath shaking as she bit her lip before moving to stand a breath away from him. "Agent Hotchner." She extended her hand cautiously, prepared to keep up all pretenses from before her leaving, and gasped in surprise as he leaned forward and pulled her flush against him, burying his head in her now grown out locks and holding her to him tightly.

She nuzzled his neck gently and pulled back, putting enough professional distance between them before caressing his cheek gently and letting her thumb trace his cheekbone. "You're back." It was a statement more than a question and she nodded her affirmation, "I am." He sighed and looked at her then past her to Strauss, before looking back at her with serious eyes, "For good?" She smiled and nodded her head, "Looks that way." She chuckled at his shell-shocked expression and then turned to Rossi, "God, if this is how you two handle it, I can't imagine what PG is going to do." Rossi chuckled and shoved his hands in his pockets, "It's going to memorable, I'll bet on that." He winked at her and sighed, "Good to have you back, Emily."

Her eyes stayed glued to Hotch's as she sighed and nodded, "It's good to be back."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Um, **WOW **is all I can say. Thank you all sooo much for the reviews and feedback. I'm so glad you all have enjoyed this so far, and wow 32 people signed up for alerts? That's awesome you guys! Thank you all for the encouragement and support. A couple reviews mentioned the team, and while I have mad love for Garcia, Reid, Rossi, JJ, Morgan, and Seaver (ok, maybe not Seaver), this fic is really based on Hotch/Prentiss. So, that being said, here's chapter 2. Beta'd by the gorgeous, smart, and amazing Patty. Read and review lovelies!

**Disclaimer:** I only wish I owned it. But I own all the DVDs. :P

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She could hear him outside her hotel room door, pacing back and forth; her mind immediately imagined him with his hands stuffed into his pockets, head dropped, jaw tight, shoulders tense. She smiled with a soft sigh and opened the door on what was likely his tenth rotation. He stopped and met her eyes with his conflicted ones, and she barely held back the chuckle she felt bubbling in her throat. The image in front of her was almost exact to the one she pictured, and for a moment she reveled in the fact that somethings never change.

She gestured with her head for him to come into her room and shut the door behind him softly. "After this long, I really don't have anywhere to return to. My parents put all my stuff in storage after…" she bit her lip and gave a shake of her head, "I guess I'll be house hunting soon enough though." She touched his shoulder blade gently and gave an awkward shrug, "I have a mini bar though, if there's anything you want…"

He held up his hand and shook his head silently before entering the room and keeping his hands in his pockets. He turned to her with a purposeful expression and opened his mouth to speak, taking a deep breath in and then released it and turned away from her again, heading to the large window and looking out it. The reactions she'd received today had been so opposite what she'd expected. The team that had once grieved her death, embraced her immediately, celebrated that she'd returned and that she'd been alright all this time. She sensed hurt from them all, that hadn't been surprising, but the relief seemed to trump any feelings of betrayal or hurt.

She'd been pleasantly surprised by the team, but Hotch had let her down. He'd known she was alive. All this time, he'd been privy to the secret that should've guaranteed her a happy reunion with him; and instead she'd been faced with the attitude he had now. She'd thought he was alright. He'd hugged her with Strauss and Rossi, but as the day had progressed his mood had soured and she wasn't sure what she was dealing with anymore. Her arms crossed over her chest as she watched him brood by the window, and finally she cleared her throat and sighed, "Not quite as stunning as Paris, is it?"

He stayed turned from her and sighed, "You stayed there?" Her eyes glinted in a hint of a smile as she chuckled lightly and sat down on the edge of her bed, "For a while. Jayje gave me 3 options. I got to experience a little bit of everything. It wasn't all bad. Good food, beautiful cities, great people." She glanced down at her hands, and smiled softly. Reid had been the first to point out that her nails had grown back in; she picked at the polish slightly and sighed, "Europe had everything, I could've wanted."

He nodded silently and gave a bitter laugh, "Good. I'm happy for you." She eyed him slowly and chewed the inside of her cheek, debating on if she should venture into deeper waters before throwing caution to the wind and adding softly, "It had everything but you and Jack."

For the first time since she'd met him in his office at the BAU, the room filled with an awkward silence and she fidgeted slightly, "How is he? Jack? He's in second grade now, right?"

Aaron sat down at the table in the corner of her room and rested his elbows on his knees, his hands folding together in front of him as he stared into them, "Yeah, he's just about ready for summer break. He's been good. He misses you." He closed his eyes and turned his face from her slightly before chancing a look at her, "You look good, Emily. I like the changes you made."

She blushed slightly and hunched her shoulders forward in an awkward shrug, "Didn't change much, Aaron. Lightened my hair, grew out my nails, got a little tan. Only physical things changed. I'm still me. I'm still Emily."

His eyes softened as he looked at her, remembering the last time she'd spoken those words; right after she'd openly admitted her relationship to Doyle to his face. He forced a tight-lipped smile in her direction, "I can see that."

She dropped her eyes, enjoying the light mood for a moment before becoming absorbed in her nail polish picking again, "I heard that you were the one to take him down."

His eyes lifted to her instantly and he gave a brisk nod, "Yeah. We figured out where you hid Declan. Figured if we could get him before Doyle, it'd be best. We were lucky. He's quite a boy."

She smiled warmly and nodded, "Yeah. He was always quite the little charmer." She sighed and rubbed her hands together, growing serious and looking at him, "What happened out there, Aaron? No one seems to want to give me a straight answer, other than it was taken care of."

He sighed and licked his lips, staring straight ahead into the wall as he recounted the details of the plan, how they'd set Doyle up, baited him with his own son, how Doyle had gotten the boy and was threatening to run with him. He took a deep breath and turned to her, holding her eyes with his. She shivered at the coldness she saw reflecting in his eyes as he talked about how Doyle bragged he'd won, how he'd spoken of killing her and how he was still able to beat her at her own game. "I had the kill shot, and I took it."

He dropped his eyes and cleared his throat, "We had to protect Declan." She nodded slowly and smothered a smile, knowing that he'd done it for more than just Declan; he'd done it for her. She stood and moved to approach him, but stopped as he rubbed his palms on his pant legs and stood abruptly, turning his back to her once more and angrily shoving his hands into his suit coat pockets.

"You didn't call." His voice was sharp, clinical, and she almost winced at the emotionless tone. She eyed his staunch figure warily and licked her lips, "That's part of the deal, Aaron. I'm not allowed to contact anyone, you know that."

He turned to her sharply and eyed her with a fire she hadn't seen in years; that look was only seen in times of extreme crisis or if a team member was in jeopardy. She crossed her arms across her body and took a small step backward, putting space between them. He narrowed his eyes a fraction and his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed before taking a cautious step towards her, "You came back. You knew about today, and you didn't think to warn me? You didn't think it was important for me to get a head's up on this?"

Her brown eyes widened slightly in realization as he took another step towards her, his head tilting as his interrogation continued and his voice rising marginally, "Didn't you think I'd like to know you were back? Was I not high enough on your priorities? Did you think I wouldn't care?"

Her brows knit together as she looked at him and shook her head vigorously, "No. Aaron, it wasn't like that. I didn't even know I was coming back. It all happened so fast." She scoffed lightly and let her arms drop to her sides as she looked at him across the room, "Do you really think that poorly of me? That I would just show up without giving a second thought to what this would bring? I thought you wanted me back. I thought the end goal was for me to return to you; to you and to Jack." She sighed and shrugged, her arms opening at her sides, "I came back, Aaron, because I thought you wanted that."

She blinked rapidly and breathed through her mouth as she tried to think of how to continue. Her mind raced with thoughts and questions; this wasn't at all how she'd expected him to react. "Has that changed since I saw you last?" She sighed and let her defenses down, her posture sinking as she was greeted with silence. "Is that it? Have you moved on?"

He dropped his arms and crossed the room, standing in front of her but allowing her room to move away from him, "Emily, you know me better than that." His tone had softened and she lifted her eyes to him, "Aaron, what are we doing? It's been over two years. You didn't know when or if I was ever coming back. Am I just supposed to think you didn't-"

"Yes." His answer was soft and immediate. His eyes stayed trained on her, x-raying through her. "I'm not like Morgan and Dave. I can't just forget. I can't just forget how great we were together, how great you were with Jack. We were building a life together, Emily. I cared about you. I don't think I ever stopped." He sighed and took another step towards her, almost standing chest and chest with her. He began to reach for her, as her eyes widened with a hint of surprise and he dropped his hand; disappointment settling over him. She took in his slightly dejected figure and stepped into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his chest as he caught her tight in his arms. They clung to each other as if they were clinging for dear life. She felt so good in his arms, like they had been designed especially to hold her. He buried his face in her soft locks, feeling with a twinge of guilt how fragile she seemed in his grasp.

He whispered her name into her hair and clung to her like she was oxygen for his lungs. He finally released her slowly and leaned a fraction away from her, pushing a curl behind her ear he licked his lips and sighed, "So, where do we go from here?"

She sighed softly as she stayed tight to his chest, "I don't know." She chuckled softly as he began to pull away and tugged him back with his tie, "No no no. I mean, I don't know where we go with this professionally. Two years is a long time, Aaron, but it hasn't changed how I feel about you. Being away, was simply that. I was away from you; it didn't mean you weren't in my thoughts. Every time I saw a family together, I'd think of you and Jack." She blinked as her eyes began to shine with unshed tears and rested her forehead to his, blushing slightly at allowing him to see her cry over something like that, "I'd sit there and think about how badly I wanted to be back here with you and him."

Her soft sigh of bitter laughter flowed around him as he rocked her gently and he rubbed her back in slow, calming circles, "We wanted you here; more than you know." She sighed warmly as he soothed her and let her fingers tangle in the small hairs at the nape of his neck, "She's not going to be pleased." She looked up as he pulled away a second time and captured his cheek in her palm, "Strauss. She's not going to be pleased at all with this new development. We're breaking every possible fraternization rule in the book." He shrugged and ran a hand through her long light brown hair, "Those rules didn't stop us before."

She sighed and nodded, "That's true." She smiled as he leaned down and nuzzled her neck before pressing a kiss to her pulse point and then resting his forehead to hers. Her eyes slipped shut as she lingered in his arms and breathed in the scent she'd missed for years. "Don't go house hunting," her eyes snapped open as she looked into his brown ones before playfully nudging his nose with hers, "I can't stay in the hotel forever, Aaron."

He laughed softly, his delicious dimples emerging with the warm sound. He shook softly and sat down with her next to him on the bed, "Emily," he chuckled for another moment and then took her hands in his, caressing her skin with his, "Move in with me. Move in with me and Jack. It's where you belong." Her eyes brightened and she squeezed his hands tenderly, "I'd love to, but I think there's someone else you have to talk to about that." She entwined the fingers of both sets of their hands and leaned into him, "I think Jack has just as much say in this as anybody." He nodded and wrapped a warm arm around her shoulders, "Yeah, you're probably right."

Her breath danced across his neck as she nestled into him, "You know we still have a lot to settle." He rubbed her arm gently, "What's left? You're moving in, you're back at the BAU, still got me…" She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and swatted his chest lightly, "We're going to have to figure out the work thing. Strauss won't keep us together, you and I both know that." He rested his cheek to the top of her head gently and sighed, "Do we have to discuss this now?"

She closed her eyes as her temple settled against his shoulder and let out a contented sigh, "You have something else you'd rather do right now?" She chuckled warmly as he let out a soft groan and kissed the top of her head before stealthily pinning her beneath him and smiling down at her, "I have a couple ideas."

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**A/N: The next chapter is where the fic gets it's M rating from, so young eyes, don't say I didn't warn you!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: I think we all are going to need this, a little M-rated something to help make the first Paget-less episode a little more bearable. Obviously, this is not meant for little kiddy eyes; so you've been warned. BIG thanks to everyone that reviewed! I love you alllll! And to the 40 of you signed up for alerts, WELCOME and please don't be shy to review or drop me a line about what you think! :D Dedicated to my beta Patty.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

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She laughed warmly as she looked up at him hovering above her. Her fingers traced over each curve of his face and neck then followed to his broad shoulders and strong back as she leaned up and brushed her lips against his gently. It'd been far too long since she'd gotten to experience him, and having him here with her now, she realized she'd missed him more than she'd thought she had. Her mouth ghosted against his as he slowly returned her caresses, before securing her torso to his with one arm, while his mouth molded to hers, desperately; two years of pent up need and desire pouring out of him and free flowing over her.

She pulled back a fraction, her breath coming in soft, gasping whispers as she held tight to him and shared the air with him. His free hand reached up, running through her hair gently before settling on her cheek, making her eyes open and stare into his, "You have no idea how much I missed you." She pressed her hands down the smooth plane of his back and nodded, "Yeah, I think do." She kissed him long and slow, her hands going to work and pushing his suit coat off his body, delighting in the warmth they found seeping out of his work shirt. She scooted up the bed slowly, her brown eyes holding his as she moved, and finally eased down onto the pillows at the head of the bed; her eyes extending the open invitation for him to join her.

He moved up to her swiftly, and pressed against her lightly. While anxious to become reacquainted with her body, he'd missed so much more than this. He'd always been interested in her beauty, but her mind, her soul, her heart had been the things that he'd missed the most; having her on a case, with his son, in his arms at night, all of it made him love her even more. He trailed his fingers down the long lithe body and caressed her hip gently, as he dipped his head and pressed soft kisses to her neck and collarbone. He released a warm breath against the hollow of her throat and smirked as she emitted a soft whimper and pressed up towards him.

Her hands slid down his still firm chest, popping each button on his shirt with practiced precision and slid inside the warm fabric deftly, nails raking over his undershirt and holding him taunt to her form as he nipped and kissed his way across her neck to her ear, whispering her name softly. Her breathing was ragged as she pushed his shirt off him, one arm at a time and dropped it to the floor, letting it flutter down on top of his discarded jacket. He pushed up onto his forearms, and rested above her for a moment, eying her slightly flushed skin and long hair fanned out beneath her head; in that moment he'd swear that he'd never seen her look so beautiful. He made quick work of removing her t-shirt and his undershirt before returning his mouth to expanse of newly revealed skin. His mouth paused at her long healed brand mark and he traced it lightly, before pressing a long kiss to it and then moving down the swell of that breast and over to the other.

Her nails slid up through his hair slowly, massaging his scalp as her body arced and quivered beneath his touch. She'd nearly forgotten how good he was at this, how he could turn her into a puddle at his feet with his featherlight touches and kisses. Her breath hitched lightly as he freed her from her bra and slowly eased her back on the bed, his lips nipping and gently teasing her. She murmured her approval softly as he moved down her body, strong, calloused hands following the curve of her torso down to her hips and securing there tightly, holding her down as his mouth followed down the length of her body to her abdomen. He pressed a soft kiss there and flicked his eyes up to hers as he guided his hands down to the button fly on her pants, needing her permission to take things to that final intimate level.

Her eyes fluttered open as he stopped and she lifted her head to look at him, with confusion. She couldn't stop the tender smile that formed on her lips as she stared at him, his eyes wide with insecurity as he waited for her to give him a sign. He released a slow breath at the incline of her head and the brush of her hand against his resting at the button. He trailed down all final vestiges of her clothing and leaned over her, unbelieving that this was real. He'd dreamed of this moment for so long and now, finally having her back in his arms, he couldn't imagine that it was real. His mouth met hers again slowly as he pressed her deeper into the mattress with his form and let their mouths duel for control for a moment before pulling back and running the backs of his fingers over her cheek, "I never stopped, Emily." He eyes glowed softly as she stared up at him, and hummed her desire for him to explain.

He grinned and nuzzled her neck gently before speaking into her neck, "I never stopped loving you." She tilted her cheek to his temple and guided him up to her, so she could see his face, "I love you too, Aaron." She kissed him gently and tugged on his belt lightly, telling him exactly what she wanted and needed in that moment. He pulled his body from hers and shed the few garments from his body, before hovering over her again and staring in her deep brown eyes while his hand moved against her, coaxing and stroking her to bend to him.

Her eyes slid shut as she writhed under him, his name falling from her lips in soft pants for several moments before he stopped his ministrations and pressed his hips to hers, "Open your eyes, Emily. Let me see you." She lazily blinked open her lips and stared at him, gripping his shoulders as he slowly moved into her, watching her as pleasure filled her features. She gripped his shoulders fiercely in her hands as he glided over her in precise, steady strokes and pressed hot, heavy kisses to her neck and shoulder.

"I missed you, Emily." Aaron whispered into her ear, planting warm hungry kisses on the tender lobe and continuing to stake his claim to her. She arched into him and nodded her agreement, her brain unable to do function as she moved with him in their own private dance. She clung to his body tightly as the moments slowly ticked by, the room filled with soft gasps of names and praise followed by soft groans from both adults before silence.

Her heart raced as she held him tight to her, stroking his back and listening to his rough pants for air as their lungs fought for air. She groaned as he rolled off her, and pulled her to him on their sides, chest to chest, face to face. She smiled as he opened his eyes and entwined their hands between their bodies. No words needed to be said, nothing needed to be expressed other than their mutual understanding that while she'd been gone, nothing had changed.

He couldn't bring himself to leave her right away, and had ended up staying as long as he could before admitting that he'd have to get home to his son. She walked him to her door and opened it for him, leaning against the door as he stood outside her room, holding onto the door frame, "You know, you're going to have to need dinner too." She smirked and tilted her head into the solid wood door, "You asking me on a date, Agent Hotchner?" He grinned and tucked a lone curl behind her ear, "I guess I am." He ran his thumb over her lips and spoke softly, "My son and I would like you to join us for dinner, Agent Prentiss." She gave a slow nod and sighed, "Your place? Seven-ish?" He hummed his agreement and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips before pulling back and watching her shut the door with a playful wink.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Well, here's chapter 4. Not sure if this is going to be the final chapter or not. I would love to continue, but the reviews have really dropped and I'm not sure if you all are feeling it anymore. But 43 of you have it on alerts, and that's a great compliment, so THANK YOU for reading and enjoying.

To two of my faithful readers (and reviewers) **vampiremuggle** and **HPforever-after, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.** Your support has made all the difference! :)

Dedicated to all my readers and reviewers, and my special beta Patty for always having my back.

**Disclaimer is located in the first chapter! :)

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Nerves had never been something that plagued Emily Prentiss. Undercover, gun fights, interrogating serial killers, she'd done it all and had never been nervous; but right now, standing in front of a very familiar pine green door, she felt like she was ready to vomit. There was no way she could predict how the young Hotchner was going to receive her, even though Aaron had answered more than one of her concerned text messages with platitudes to calm her. She raked her fingers through her hair quickly and took a deep breath before knocking on the door and waiting with baited breath.

She couldn't help the smile that blossomed on her face as she heard the familiar baritone voice come closer and closer to the door. She forced the smile onto her face as the lock disengaged and the door swung open, revealing him. He looked so normal in his home setting, something she'd missed deeply in the time she'd been away; his light wash jeans, the casual tee's, the warm smiles reserved only for those that were lucky enough to get granted access to his home. She stepped forward, into his waiting arms and hugged him tight, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek and smiling as he gave her an extra squeeze before releasing her and ushering her inside. She stepped around him and held out the bottle of wine she'd picked up on her way over, "You didn't have to."

She shrugged and pushed her hair from her face, tucking it behind her ears, "I figure if this goes badly, at least we can drink it after he's asleep." He chuckled softly and rubbed her shoulder with his free hand, "Just take it easy. He can smell fear." She laughed softly and reached into her purse, pulling out the package with the small metal Matchbox car, and shrugging awkwardly, "I didn't know what to bring him." He nodded, "He's going to love it."

He turned and headed to the stairs calling up to his son, as she set her purse down and shrugged out of the light jacket. She stepped up slightly behind Aaron as they waited for him and rested her free-hand low on his back, rubbing softly, drawing strength from his confidence and smiled as Jack rushed down into the room. He paused at the bottom stair and looked at her before moving closer. Aaron watched as his son scrutinized the woman in front of him while she bent down to his level and smiled warmly, "Hey kiddo. Remember me?"

He eyed her warily for a moment and nodded slowly, before turning to his father, and then back to her, "I remember. Where'd you go?" She blinked and let the side of her lips turn upward hesitantly, not moving towards him, not wanting to scare him away and sighed, "I had to go away for a while. I was helping your Daddy catch the bad guys." She smiled slightly and glanced up at Aaron with unsure eyes as Jack studied her more, tilting his head slightly. She could almost see the metaphorical wheels turning in his head as he looked at her with determined brown eyes that reminded her so much of the man next to her.

"Why'd you go away for so long?" His question broke her from her thoughts and she dropped her eyes before hearing his second question pierce the air, "Didn't you love me and Daddy?" She lifted her eyes to the 8 year old and licked her lips cautiously. That was a heavy direction to go in and she wanted to be as delicate as possible with the answers; he didn't need details at that age. She swallowed and nodded, "I had to stay away, Jack, but I thought about you and your daddy all the time." She risked the move and ran a hand over his soft tuft of light brown hair tenderly, a move she'd done many times before when she'd last been with him, "I do love you and your daddy. I always have; I always will." She smiled warmly at the boy as his father's strong hand rested on her shoulder and gave her a gentle encouraging squeeze, "That's why I came back to you, Jack."

She pushed the bangs from his small round face and ran the pads of her fingertips down his cheek, "You've grown up so much, kiddo. I've missed you so much." He stood unmoving for a moment before reaching over and hugging her tentatively. She rested her hands on his back softly and smiled at his father with warm tear-filled eyes. Jack pulled back and glanced at her hand holding the car, "What'cha got?" She followed his line of vision and smiled as she held out the toy to him, "I brought you this. You still like cars right?"

He beamed brightly and nodded quickly, "Yeah! Daddy got me a new track for them too. Come on." He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the stairs, her head turning over her shoulder to glance at Aaron as he chuckled and winked at her, before heading to the kitchen to order their pizza; his mind eased at how Jack had willingly let Emily back into his life.

Time had flown by during the meal, Jack catching Emily up on all he'd learned, all she'd missed, in her years away and didn't spare a detail as he talked about the cool things Uncle Spencer had been teaching him. He even attempted a magic trick or two at the table, garnering applause from the two adults, even when the trick didn't turn out quite the way it had been meant to. Emily had been completely shocked that as Aaron announced bedtime for the youngster, that Jack had reached for her hand, asking for her to come read him a chapter from his book while he went to sleep. She'd obliged happily and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead once he was out light a light under his spiderman sheets and comforter.

She crept down to the living room and observed her lover, sitting on the couch in the dark, lighted only by the TV program on the TV as he waited for her. Her eyes skimmed over his strong features and she moved quietly to him, before settling against his side and resting her head on his shoulder, "I missed this." Her confession was whispered softly as her hand rested over his heart. His hand wrapped around hers gently and gripped it tenderly, "Me too."

He took a deep breath and kissed the top of her head, as his arm draped around her and pulled her tightly against him, "My son seems to still be taken with you." She grinned and hummed contentedly in his arms, "Well, I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the Hotchner men. Seems only fair that it be returned." He smiled into her hair and squeezed her arm gently before sighing, "I spoke with him earlier today, about having you move in." She lifted her head from him and looked at him seriously, "You did? Already? Before all this?"

He laughed lightly and and nodded, "In my defense, you did say, you couldn't stay in the hotel forever." She rolled her eyes and nudged him lightly before growing serious and meeting his eyes, "What's the verdict?" He gave her a half smile and sighed, "Well, I think you're going to have to start thinking about what you'd like to do with your stuff in storage." Her brows knit together slowly as she ran her mind over his sentence. He smirked and ran a thumb over the crease forming between her eyebrows, "I don't have enough room in here to accommodate all your belongings." Realization dawned in her eyes as her lips spread into a warm smile. She leaned forward pressing her lips to his and capturing his face between her hands. He pulled back and kissed her temple gently, speaking softly into her ear, "Welcome home, Emily."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Well, hot damn! You readers DO exist! I loved the reviews I got for part 4; and by popular request, here is part 5. A team reunion. This will, sadly, be the final chapter. I may continue this as a series of sorts, I may not. We'll see how the wind blows, but right now- it's the final piece.

_ANYTHING IN ITALICS_ is a specific character's section. You should be able to figure out who is who.

**BIG THANK YOU TO ALL MY LOVELY REVIEWERS: vampiremuggle, BrightlyShining, charmony, HPforever-after, fanficlover, CMFAN2009, fbi-woman, LacytheDemonicWerewolf, CaskettLover, NT, purpleplasticpurse, AB, gsr4ever15, criminalmindslover1, make it or break it, WeeHelenXx, TaliDanielleDavid, baobei, and mirande953.**

Also, a huge thank you to my beta Patty for making sure it didn't suck; and to LacytheDemonicWerewolf for letting me bounce ideas.

**Disclaimer: **Located in the first few chapters. Nothing's changed. I don't own it.

* * *

He grinned playfully as she fidgeted with the edge of her tee-shirt, her nails picking at the seam sewn into the dark red fabric. His hand covered hers as he stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He pressed a soft kiss to her neck and pulled her back into his chest, rocking her side to side slowly, "Relax, Emily."

She smiled and rested her arms over his, their fingers entwining over her hips. She leaned back against him and rested her nose against his throat, sighing lightly, "Aaron, they should be mad. They deserve to be mad." She swallowed lightly and let her eyes slip shut, giving his hands a tender squeeze, "We lied to them. I just keep waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under me. I keep waiting for them to turn on me and really let the anger go."

He smiled and turned his head, kissing her forehead and sighing, "Emily, they've had almost three years to get over that. They've moved past it. They're just happy you're back." He raised a hand and traced it through her long, thick brunette locks, "We all are just happy you're home." She nodded and turned in his arms, her arms wrapping around his neck and hugged him tightly, "I'm just nervous."

**…**

_Reunions weren't his thing; in fact, he generally made it a regular goal to avoid social interactions like them at all costs. But this time he knew he had to make an exception, for more than one reason. Statistically speaking, the fact that this reunion was even happening was incredible. Almost 3 years ago, he'd been crying into JJ's shoulder about Emily's death, and now she was back. Alive and well, and once-again a part of the BAU. He smiled as he realized that even in his genius mind, there was no way to measure the happiness he was feeling._

**...**

_He adjusted the leather jacket resting on his broad shoulders and chuckled to himself as he strutted up to Hotch's residence. 3 years could change a lot of things; they'd sure as hell had changed him. He'd held her hand, begging her to hold on; he thought he'd lost a partner. Now looking back on it, he couldn't have been happier that he was wrong. He balanced the pizza boxes on his hand solidly and knocked on the green door with a grin; yes, this was exactly what he'd wanted all along._

**…**

_She'd always hoped this reunion would come, for more than just the other team members. She'd mainly hoped it for Hotch; he was more than her former boss, he was her friend. She'd known about Paris, about him getting to say goodbye to her on his own terms, and she getting to thank him for all he'd done for her. She knew that they both had lost something special that day, something more than just a team member. She felt an overwhelming sense of comfort that it had finally all worked out for the best; and she would bet money on it that it had worked out in more ways than one._

**…**

_He'd been delightfully surprised by Erin this time around. He knew that she didn't have to allow Emily to come back to the team; she could've put her anywhere she pleased. She was giving them the chance to have their team back. He parked his car up the street from the residence and climbed out, moving towards the house with a brisk walk. 5 other cars filled the driveway and spaces around it, the signs that he was one of the final ones to arrive. He softly knocked on the door and couldn't help the broad smile that split his face as it swung open._

**…**

_Secretly, she'd always hoped this would be the end result. She'd been devastated by the loss of Emily. They'd been close, almost from the beginning; she'd taken to her as soon as she saw the playful side of the agent. Emily had embraced the quirkyness that so many other agents at the bureau cringed at. A small part of her sensed that there was something the stoic unit chief had secreted away from them. A larger part of her knew that Emily wouldn't have gone down without fighting, and that she wouldn't have let Doyle win. The whole of her knew that this reunion would happen in some form or another one day; either as ghosts or like this. It felt damn good being right; but then again, she was rarely ever wrong._

**…**

Emily's hand traced over Aaron's shoulder as she stepped around him, with young Jack at her heels, to get to Garcia and JJ. She cast a slight smile over her shoulder and subtly winked at him as he gave her an encouraging nod. Her laughter echoed softly around the room as Garcia's strong warm arms wrapped around her, hugging her tightly. She hugged her back warmly for a few moments before speaking softly to the enthusiastic blonde, "PG, I need to breathe."

Aaron smiled and gave Emily's lower back a tender pat as he passed the three women with beer bottles in his hand for the men. He handed them out rapidly and sat down on the couch with Morgan and Rossi, watching the women communicate animatedly about Emily's new look and all that had transpired in the time she'd been away. Rossi's eyes shifted back and forth between the groups, watching the women, then watching Aaron and Morgan. "Emily's looking really good." He nodded and shrugged as Aaron's eyes turned to him darkly. He took a swig of his beer and leaned back on the sofa,resting his arm along the back of it, "It'll be good to have her around the BAU again. I'm sure many of the male agents will be enthused to see her return."

Aaron grit his jaw slightly and relaxed it as he cleared his throat, "Oh yeah?" He laughed and took a long pull from the dark brown bottle before looking back at Rossi, "Why's that?" Morgan looked at Aaron's furrowed brows and glaring eyes and then at Rossi's smug expression; studying them for several moments before he caught on. He nodded to Rossi and nudged Aaron's foot with his, "You're kidding, right? Have you looked at Emily? She's got that new hair goin, the tan; you add that to the outfits she wears to work…" he shrugged and gave an appreciative nod, "Eye candy for days." Aaron took a deep breath as he eyed her across the room, her hand resting on the upper back of his son and nodded, "Sure, Morgan. I'll take your word for it."

**…**

Emily chuckled watching Henry become engrossed in a trick that Reid was showing him and nodded her head towards the quiet moment. She loved watching the older male bond with the young boy, and had deeply missed these moments of unity within the team. Her fingers ran gently through the hair of the boy that was clinging to her side like life depended on it and she gave him a gentle nudge towards the other boy in the room, "Hey Jack, why don't you go over and see if Reid can show you some new tricks?" She knelt down to his level as he stayed close and rubbed his back gently, "What's wrong kiddo?"

His lips became a thin line, immediately reminding her of Hotch, and he sighed, "Will you stay?" Her eyes softened as she took in his worried face and she hugged him tenderly, "You know I will." She squeezed him gently and then let him free, smiling as he moved from her arms and quickly darted over to join Henry in front of Spencer. She stood and crossed her arms over her chest, smiling with the two blondes and chuckling as the boys awed at the tricks they were being shown. JJ leaned into Emily's space and nudged her shoulder playfully, "Looks like you've got a certain Hotchner wrapped around your finger."

Emily's eyes widened slightly as she looked at JJ; she and Aaron had been keeping their relationship quiet at the time she'd had to leave, and it was being kept even quieter now. Her eyebrows knit together as she began to ask JJ how she knew, but was interrupted by the blonde's nod toward Jack. "He's just so infatuated with you, Emily." Emily's heart rate dropped substantially as she chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, he's quite the little heartbreaker." JJ smiled and glanced back at the guys, catching Aaron as he subtly studied Emily's form from his comfortable spot on the couch, "Just like his daddy."

Penelope laughed loudly and gave an exaggerated nod, "Oh yeah. He's got all the traits of turning out to be like the big bad boss man." She smiled at the other two women and followed JJ's eyeline, catching their boss staring at their friend. She grinned wickedly and leaned into Emily conspiratorially, "You know, I hear he's still single. Hasn't been with anyone since Haley." JJ sighed and nodded, "I mean, I can understand how it'd be difficult for him to move on, but it's definitely a tragic loss for the rest of woman-kind." She caught the slight narrowing of Emily's eyes and continued to push, "It's not like women haven't tried. There's a girl on the 4th floor, completely head over heels for him. She goes red every time he even looks at her." She rolled her eyes animatedly and chuckled, "He's so oblivious that he doesn't even realize what a great catch he really is."

Emily turned over her shoulder and studied the three men on the couch with a warm smile, before her eyes zeroed in on her lover and she felt warmth flood her entire body, "He's okay, I guess. Needs to loosen up a little." She smirked as Penelope shrugged and tilted her head, "Eh, maybe he just needs a push from the right woman." Emily felt both sets of eyes on her as she studied him and finally sighed, "Just ask it, Pen." The delighted giggle from next to her told her everything she needed to know, "Are you and the G-man an item?"

**…**

All the occupants of the room startled as Penelope let out an excited shriek and nearly crushed Emily in a tight embrace. Aaron ran a hand through his dark coifed hair and chanced a look at Rossi then at Morgan; smug knowing grins painted their faces and he nodded slowly, quietly admitting that everything they'd been hinting at was in fact- true. Rossi clicked his tongue and gave Aaron a warm pat on the back, "Lucky man, Hotch." Aaron nodded and grinned as Morgan chuckled, "Seriously, man? How long?" Aaron took a deep breath and stared at his beer bottle before releasing the air in his lungs in one long breath, "We were together before the whole…" he swallowed and started again, "We just got back together." He took a swig of his beer and looked up at the women, smiling as Emily laughed and fielded questions from both women, who appeared to be talking at a mile a minute. He silently appreciated that, though plenty had changed while she was gone; some things were forever, their team was forever.


End file.
